Harness attachment for vehicle-shafts



(No Model.) V Y J. E. DIEFPBNBAHER.

HARNESS ATTACHMENT POB. VEHICLE SHAPTS. NQ. 257,669. Patented May 9, 1882.

INVENTI? lful Improvements in Meansfor Attaching Hart ployment of the usual tracesand'whiffletree l UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

JOHN E. DIEFFENBACHER, OF EDVARDSBURG, MICHIGAN.

HARNESS ATTACHMENT FOR VEl-IICLE-SHAFTS.

, SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 257,669, dated May 9, 1882. Application filed March 6, 1882. (No model.)

To alt whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J onN E. DIEEEENBACH- f ER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Edwardsburg, in the county of Cass and State Michigan, have invented certain new and useness to Shafts i and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had'to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specication, and to the letters and gures of reference marked thereon.

Figure 1 ofthe drawings is a side elevation of my invention; Fig. 2, an under plan view; Fig. 3, a side elevation of the thill, partly in section; and Figs. 4 and 5, detail views.

The present invention has relation to certain new and useful improvements in means forconnecting the harness to the thills or shafts of a vehicle; and the object thereof is to provide a simple and eli'ective device whereby the horse can he quickly and expeditiously hitched or unhitched from the vehicle without the emas a means of attach-ment. These objects I attain by the construction substantially as shown in the drawings and hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawings,A represents the end of the shaft of a vehicle, having secured to its under side a spring-catch, a., the free end entering a mortise, b, in the shaft. On a line opposite the vertical portion or free end ofthe spring-catch c is a confining-arm, h, also connected to the shaft A, by screws or other suitable means, which, together with the spring-catch, form means by which a leather girdle, B, is held in position on the shaft. The girdle has connected to it a suitable buckle, c, for buckling into the saddle-strap of the harness; also, strap d, for connecting with the breast-strap or short tug ofthe collar, and a strap, e, provided with ring j', for the. purpose of connecting with breeching of harness. The I small strap g, secured to the side of the girdle B, is for connecting with the belly-hand of harness. After the girdle B has been properly attached to-the harness of the horse it is then slipped over the end of the shaft A, which will draftI from 'the shafts direct without the use of tugs or traces or the usual Whifdetree. A further advantage is the ease and rapidity with which the horse can be attached or detached from the vehicle, the leather girdle, with its adjuncts, being cheap, durable, and effective, as well as very simple in its construction, thereby enabling it t0 be manufactured at a comparatively small cost.

To prevent wear upon the under side of the girdle B, I line it, both upon the inner and mouter side, by a metal plate, C, which may be ofthe form shown in Fig. 5, and afterward bent over and upon the leather; orlhe metallic lining may be secured in any suitable manner by rivets or otherwise.

Having now fully described my invention,

what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, ist The shaft A, having connected to it the springcatch a and con linin g-arm h, in combination with the girdle B, having buckle c, straps d g, and strap e, with ring j', substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my naine in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN E. DIEEEENBAGHEE.

Witnesses:

MosEs H. LEE, J oEL OASE. 

